What is so special about the bonsai?

[greengrazer]

gg, if you really want to understand what your brother and the rest of us see in it, I think you should get a few little trees for yourself. and a bunch of bonsai & penjing books. I think you'd enjoy it.

Thanks for the idea, mat, but I'm in a penthouse apartment with no outside light and I don't go outside the apartment except to school and occasionally to the market with my mum.

Reading and DVDs are the only way I'll (at the moment) be able to understand the blessings of the bonsai.

By the way, getting one's own bonsai is the first thing anyone would do, wouldn't it be, to understand the bonsai? I only started this thread because that's not an option.

I think the folks on here don't realise that I already exhausted all my options before starting this thread. I didn't come on here willy-nilly. This forum was a last resort for me.

 

[greengrazer]

then he'll be asking YOU about YOUR bonsai hobby

Thanks berobinson82, for your response. I'm repeating my response to mat because it applies to your response, too:

Thanks for the idea, mat, but I'm in a penthouse apartment with no outside light and I don't go outside the apartment except to school and occasionally to the market with my mum.

Reading and DVDs are the only way I'll (at the moment) be able to understand the blessings of the bonsai.

By the way, getting one's own bonsai is the first thing anyone would do, wouldn't it be, to understand the bonsai? I only started this thread because that's not an option.

I think the folks on here don't realise that I already exhausted all my options before starting this thread. I didn't come on here willy-nilly. This forum was a last resort for me.

 

[berobinson82]

understood... You know green, you won't be a child forever. And you seem intelligent enough to make your own way eventually. As a teen, we rush. As an adult, we wish to slow down. If not now, if not even soon, you'll be a free bird. Looks like you have a good while to start studying.

 

[greengrazer]

The best example I have is my collected trees that I hope to sell. I make it my goal to only collect trees that I see potential for a good to great bonsai in. I start imagining what I can do with it the moment I find the right tree. This makes it hard to sell because I'm already excited about taking the tree somewhere. -- BUT I figure this is one of the best ways to ensure that I'm collecting quality trees and selling quality trees. If it doesn't hurt letting a tree go then it probably wasn't worth collecting in the first place.

That's similar to what my teacher said about her students (and me in particular). She said that if it doesn't hurt to let her students go, she hadn't chosen the right students to begin with.

The teacher who said that is tutoring me in applied linguistics. Many of her students go on to become great authors, teachers, and leaders. She said they all hurt her to let them go.

Thank you so much for sharing, Dan W.

 

[greengrazer]

understood... You know green, you won't be a child forever. And you seem intelligent enough to make your own way eventually. As a teen, we rush. As an adult, we wish to slow down. If not now, if not even soon, you'll be a free bird. Looks like you have a good while to start studying.

Yes, indeedy! I shall be studying.

By the way, I've been looking for a book that explores the heart and soul connection with bonsai and not the "how-to" mechanics of it. I can't find any. Do you know of any?

Thank you so much for your encouragement!!

 

[fraser67]

I guess you didn't read my earlier post. Rather than repeat the whole thing here, it's at the bottom of page 9.

So sorry, I missed than whole line...having a two year old is distracting...of course, I should have been paying more attention to her, lol, but I'm fascinated by this thread.
For some reason, I tend to associate some of my trees with loved ones, family, friends...the style, strength, grace, scarring etc...maybe your brother could get a tree the reminds him of you, his representation of you in a tree. Then, maybe you both could work on it together...sounds kind of sappy, but you all would grow and develop together...
Just a thought

 

[greengrazer]

So sorry, I missed than whole line...having a two year old is distracting...of course, I should have been paying more attention to her, lol, but I'm fascinated by this thread.
For some reason, I tend to associate some of my trees with loved ones, family, friends...the style, strength, grace, scarring etc...maybe your brother could get a tree the reminds him of you, his representation of you in a tree. Then, maybe you both could work on it together...sounds kind of sappy, but you all would grow and develop together...
Just a thought

I agree with you, fraser67, that nurturing a bonsai together would be a collaborative and transformative memory-maker for the two of us (and it's not a sappy idea in the least!).

That's just not an option right now. I'm living in a place with no outside light so an indoor bonsai would die. I don't travel so an outdoor bonsai is reserved for a time in my future, as well.

With this catalytic thread, perhaps I'll begin a whole orchard of bonsai when I get out on my own. Our future paths ever surprise us.

 

[Colorado Bonsai]

Well it sounds like you have gotten a good idea from everyone's perspectives. I was just given the this link http://andyrutledge.com/book/content/langofartistry.html

I haven't had time to break past the first few pages yet but it may be of some interest to you.
Also, maybe you could ask your brother to bring a sapling along for you during his visits... You could study it,ask him questions, etc..

 

[fraser67]

I agree with you, fraser67, that nurturing a bonsai together would be a collaborative and transformative memory-maker for the two of us (and it's not a sappy idea in the least!).

That's just not an option right now. I'm living in a place with no outside light so an indoor bonsai would die. I don't travel so an outdoor bonsai is reserved for a time in my future, as well.

With this catalytic thread, perhaps I'll begin a whole orchard of bonsai when I get out on my own. Our future paths ever surprise us.

I actually meant that your brother would keep the tree...and you could see it when you visited...sorry, I haven't spoken to my sister in three years (long story), so I'm enjoying this
All the best,
Good luck!!

 

[Colorado Bonsai]

Oops, looks like fraiser already suggested that. That's what I was thinking. He could just take it with hik when he leaves.

 

[greengrazer]

My relationship to my trees is very different from my relationship with other people or even pets. Here's what I mean: Trees are living, but they can't love you back. We can ifluence them and get different responses according to how we treat them, but they don't influence us in any intentional or active way. -- People on the other hand can love each other... or hurt each other. If a spouse cheats or leaves, it can devastate us, but if a tree dies we don't take it personally. Even a dog has the ability to love and build a connection with us, not nearly as deep or meaningful as a human relationship, but still a two way connection... relationship. (If a dog runs away, it hurts.. but losing a loved one is a much deeper wound.)

Love for an object.. even a living object, is... or at least in my opinion... should be different than love for another being with feelings, emotions and the ability to love.

These are just my opinions... no offense to anyone who holds a different one

Dan W., I've read the following books that describe (and scientifically prove) the deeper life experience of the plant kingdom:

1) "The Secret Teachings of Plants: The Intelligence of the Heart in the Direct Perception of Nature"
by Stephen Harrod Buhner

2) "The Secret Life of Plants: a Fascinating Account of the Physical, Emotional, and Spiritual Relations Between Plants and Man"
by Christopher Bird

3) "The Wholeness of Nature: Goethe's Way Toward a Science of Conscious Participation in Nature"
by Henri Bortoft

Goethe is one of my favourite authors but the other books also contribute to my thoughts that perhaps plants DO feel, they DO think, they DO express in ways that previously escaped our awareness.

The scientific experiments described in "The Secret Llfe of Plants" forever changed the way I view plants of any kind. I watched an educational DVD series that explored the plant kingdom's natural emotional bonds not only with each other but with the life forces around them. The time-accelerated photo captures of these plants in emotional interaction with other life forms (including humans) is astounding to me.

The plants were hooked up to human EEG machines, portable FMRIs, and all fashion of devices to gather data. They even emotionally responded with a pain reflex (as demonstrated on the equipment) to someone spilling hot coffee on his lap in the next room.

These were a group of 14 international scientists who were out to prove the hogwashness of the idea that plants were anything but ... uh, plants.

They came away from their experiments changed forever by their discoveries, so much so that instead of simply writing a collaborative research paper as they had initially intended, they produced the educational DVD series.

Just some fodder for mental munching ...

 

[greengrazer]

I was just given the this link http://andyrutledge.com/book/content/langofartistry.html

I haven't had time to break past the first few pages yet but it may be of some interest to you.
Also, maybe you could ask your brother to bring a sapling along for you during his visits... You could study it,ask him questions, etc..

Thank you, Colorado. I just went there and read the first few pages. It looks amazing! The language of artistry ... hmmmm ... the language of anything piques my interest.

As for my brother, his bonsai consists of 2 that he's growing in his office's respite area. I'm pretty sure they're in pots. He's quite protective of them but I'll definitely ask him if he'd bring one of them by for a "visit" with me.

Thank you so much for your suggestion and your reading material!!!

 

[Dan W.]

Green grazer, I'll have to look up the series and books. I'm skeptical... but I always reserve the right to be wrong, and to change my opinions or beliefs. I do believe we have a much more profound effect on the world around us than we acknowledge or even comprehend.

But... if this is the case... PETA may branch out into the plant kingdom and try convincing us we have to eat rocks... .that is until we find out rocks feel too... (I'm sorry if this statement offended anyone. Blame it on my being raised in Wyoming. I do respect your right to your own opinions.)

 

[greengrazer]

I actually meant that your brother would keep the tree...and you could see it when you visited...sorry, I haven't spoken to my sister in three years (long story), so I'm enjoying this
All the best,
Good luck!!

Thanks for this suggestion, fraser67. I'm soooo glad you're enjoying this dialogue on this thread. So am I!

 

[greengrazer]

Green grazer, I'll have to look up the series and books. I'm skeptical... but I always reserve the right to be wrong, and to change my opinions or beliefs. I do believe we have a much more profound effect on the world around us than we acknowledge or even comprehend.

But... if this is the case... PETA may branch out into the plant kingdom and try convincing us we have to eat rocks... .that is until we find out rocks feel too... (I'm sorry if this statement offended anyone. Blame it on my being raised in Wyoming. I do respect your right to your own opinions.)

Enjoy your exploration. It's okay to be skeptical. Not taking things as gospel just because someone says so is an essential element in provoking new discoveries and inventions.

As for PETA, it was explained everywhere I've read about this that the gift from the plant kingdom to the animal and human kingdoms is its gift of life force. Its photosynthetic capabilities is its Divine Blessing to share with the planet through what we call food.

As humans, our gift to the world is our mobility, our imagination, our ability to quickly transform materials from one thing into another. We share that gift with the mineral, animal, and plant kingdoms as well as with each other.

Everyone's gift (minerals, plants, animals, humans) is sharing Love ... not possessive or self-serving affections but genuine Eternal Love ... with one another throughout all the kingdoms.

Part of that sharing is the partaking and appreciation of the plant kingdom's life force contribution to the circle of life.

That's the idea shared in the books, anyway ...

 

[Dan W.]

I agree with you that life is entirely intertwined. Life is a balance of giving and receiving; it is sacrifice by one for the benefit of another. True love is willing sacrifice for another.

I guess this brings us back to why we love bonsai so much: Bonsai is a combination of our love for and connection to nature, our creative spirit (creativity), and our compassion for life under our influence.

 

[milehigh_7]

GG,

You must excuse us for our curiosity and skepticism. The Western world is exceedingly shallow and hurried. It is very rare to encounter a contemplative soul and exponentially more so in a young person.

May your efforts to connect with your brother be rewarded with the sweet fruit of a life long relationship. May we learn to not judge so quickly that we miss the flowers along our path.

Thank you for affording us the opportunity to slow down and consider our steps. There is great wisdom in this.

 

[greengrazer]

I agree with you that life is entirely intertwined. Life is a balance of giving and receiving; it is sacrifice by one for the benefit of another. True love is willing sacrifice for another.

I guess this brings us back to why we love bonsai so much: Bonsai is a combination of our love for and connection to nature, our creative spirit (creativity), and our compassion for life under our influence.

So that's why you love bonsai over and above other types of plants/trees?

That was my initial query.

One's creativity can be expressed through sculpting any type of plant (elaborately embellished shrubs in French and Italian gardens, for example). So why bonsai in particular?

It was explained in an someone's earlier post that the creativity issue is about replicating the soul's searing journey through lifetimes of joys and sorrows instead of simply making the tree look like something else (ala topiary).

Do I have that right?

 

[milehigh_7]

...the creativity issue is about replicating the soul's searing journey through lifetimes of joys and sorrows instead of simply making the tree look like something else (ala topiary).

Do I have that right?

Exactly right yes! (at least for me.)

 

[Dan W.]

Yes it is similar, but our creativity is inspired by different things. The desire to create bonsai is inspired particularly by trees... Usually trees from nature, but even other bonsai can be good inspiration. In general, the old trees full of character provided by survival in natures hardships are the ones that inspire us the most. (Though I do find enjoyment in a couple of bonsai that depict elements of youth and vitality amongst the ancient and weathered specimens.)

All creative endeavors are inspired by something... Bonsai is inspired by the trees. Does this help?